You ever have one of those moments where it feels like the whole universe is conspiring to make something amazing happen? Like, the stars align, the planets do their little dance, and suddenly, you’re right where you’re supposed to be, meeting the people you were meant to meet all along. 

That’s exactly how it felt when we stumbled into Ricky and Irene’s orbit. These two incredible souls have been the driving force behind the Finger Lakes Hot Air Balloon Festival, and let me tell you, they are something else. 

It all started with a phone call, you know, the usual song and dance we do before any big event. “Hey there, we’re photographers, and we’d love to cover your festival yada yada yada!” But this time, something was different. Instead of the standard press pass runaround, we ended up connecting with Ricky and Irene on a whole other level. 

Talking to them and hearing their stories; it was all so inspiring. All the sweat, the struggles, the late nights, the moments of doubt, and then that unwavering belief in their dream – they poured their hearts and souls into this festival and left nothing to chance. 

At a Watkins Glen Chamber event recently a friend of mine told me he’d been watching the whole thing unfold for months leading up to the festival. Every day, on his way to work, he’d see Ricky up there on the grounds of Castle Grisch, clearing fields, mowing, repairing roads, and getting everything ready. You could practically feel the energy radiating from that place, pushing out plums of excitement, hope, and anticipation in all directions. 

And Irene, she was right there beside him every step of the way. They faced it all together, and whenever a question came up – they had answer, and when a problem arose – they had a solution. Of course, they were not alone…. with the support of their family and a community cheering them on. 

The event is less than a week behind us now, and despite the weather turning a sour note, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with nearly everyone wishing for the festival to return year after year. But to those who would still say it was not a success, I would ask you to please reconsider …  

Every single balloonist showed up and tried to fly every chance they could (they were there all 3 days), 25 bands showed up (on-time) and rocked the stage for 3 straight days, there were no fights, no police reports, no stolen stuff, no cars vandalized, no crazy cleanup crews, no lost kids… but even with the perfect people conditions as it were… We were all humbly reminded Mother Nature always has the final say.  

What does not get enough credit is that when bad weather struck and the time came to leave, areas were turned into a mud pit. But Ricky and Irene were once again prepared for anything - and after hosting 3 days of parties, Ricky jumped on his tractor and pulled out what must have been well over 100 cars. None were damaged and no one was stranded - WOW! When Mother Nature challenged, they didn’t bat an eye! 

Sure, there were a few hiccups along the way, but that’s all part of the adventure, isn’t it? 

All said and done, this was a huge success… it wasn’t just about the balloons, the music, or the perfect weather. It was about the people. It was about those conversations that sparked connections across state lines and even continents. It was about sharing stories, dreams, and that feeling of togetherness, even between those who couldn’t be there in person. The shared pictures, the shared stories, the shared misery, all became connections that bridge hearts and minds regardless of where we come from or languages we speak. 

It started with two people and a dream, grew to encompass an entire community, the pictures, videos, comments, likes, and shares and touched the hearts of thousands from all over the place. But this event brought more than good times and rain – it brought two incredible people into our lives we are proud to call friends. That is the magnetic draw of Ricky and Irene.  

So how would you measure success for an event, by the number of balloons that flew, by the number of bands that played, or by the number of hearts you’ve touched?  

Well, that’s it … I wanted to share what made this whole experience so special for us. We got to witness this incredible event unfold, we did capture some amazing moments with our Cameras & Lenses, but NOTHING has been more amazing than seeing the likes and shares and reading the shared stories, shared photos, shared misery, and shared hope for NEXT YEAR!!!